Traditionally, spinning-type or open face-type fishing reels have had structures for adjusting the drag on the spool located forward of the spool. The adjustment was accomplished by turning a spool cap which applied increased or reduced pressure on the spool. To effect the drag adjustment, the fisherman had to hold the rod and reel in one hand and use the other hand to reach forward of the spool and turn the cap. This procedure was awkward, interfered with the control of the rod, reel and line usually at a critical point in the fish-catching or fishlanding process, and cost time in setting the hook, or the like, that could result in losing the fish.
To overcome these problems, rear drags with rear actuators were developed, whereby a drag actuator knob was located rearward of the reel housing with a drag structure acting on the rear portion of the centershaft so that as the drag was applied to the centershaft, the rotation of the spool under line tension was retarded. The rear actuated drag was a great step forward in convenience and accessibility for adjusting the drag before, during and after a cast, but it was found that applying the drag to the rear portion of the centershaft was less than efficient and effective in setting the drag accurately.
Still a third structure for applying drag to a spinning reel was a drag applied to the rotor. A control acting through the housing, applied drag to the rotor so that line being wound on the spool over the roller on the bail was resisted by the resistance to rotation of the rotor.